


It's Just a Spark

by LittleDidTheyKnow



Series: College AUs [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Jessica Jones (TV), The Defenders (Marvel TV)
Genre: College AU, F/M, Fluffy as hell, Karedevil Week, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-06-22 14:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 4,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15584172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LittleDidTheyKnow/pseuds/LittleDidTheyKnow
Summary: Something was different about Karen Page.It was almost like she returned from summer vacation with a new personality. She was quieter, more reserved, and almost seemed to be forcing herself to have fun with her friends. Those who considered themselves closest to her were starting to get worried. But that all changed when she started hanging out with her new friend Matt Murdock.First, they were rivalsThen they were friendsBut everyone around them knew they wanted to be something moreIt's time for a Karedevil college AU!





	1. Fall Semester

**Author's Note:**

  * For [irelandhoneybee](https://archiveofourown.org/users/irelandhoneybee/gifts).



> I’m doing things a little differently with this story. It takes a lot of effort on my part to connect every section, so I’m just writing various scenes (hopefully in chronological order) and posting them as I finish them. Most scenes will be shorter than my usual stuff. This isn’t straight fluff by any means (I’ve found I really can’t do that), but it is more lighthearted than my other stuff most of the time. I’m willing to take prompts for this if I can make it fit into the story (otherwise I may do a series of one-shots and post them when I’m done with what I’ve planned).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Matt Murdock was used to bookstore screw-ups. 
> 
> He'd researched topics on the internet in an attempt to keep up with his course syllabus. He'd found audiobooks. And he'd resorted to reading printed text with his fingers - something only he could do. When his rival Karen Page finds out that the store ordered the wrong book for a course they are taking, she decides to help him in another way.

“I can’t believe this is happening again. I was so on top of it, Matt. I told myself, this is going to be our year!”

Matt Murdock smiled at the Columbia University bookstore manager who held a Braille version of an Egyptian mythology book for a class he wasn’t taking. She had been close; he was taking a mythology course from the same professor. But Greece and Egypt were a thousand miles away and definitely didn’t have the same mythologies.

“It’s fine Andrea. And hey, at least we’re prepared for next term, right?”

She smiled at his attempt to make her feel better. He wasn’t even sure if he was taking the class next term, but he wasn’t going to tell her that when she was so upset. Matt noticed a familiar heartbeat on the other side of the store as Andrea waited for her slow computer to tell her just how long his actual textbook would take. She muttered under her breath and he knew she didn’t have good news.

Andrea pursed her lips. “I’m sorry Matt… It looks like it’s going to take _at least_ two weeks.”

“It’s certainly an improvement on the last time,” Matt said honestly. “That may be too long, though, Andrea. Is there an audiobook or something?”

The woman nodded quickly as she searched again. She sighed. “It doesn’t say. How about I find out and I’ll call you when I get more information. I might find another way.” Matt nodded. “Just let me know. Thanks, Andrea.” He grabbed the textbook he had brought up and took it back to the shelf where she stood, correct textbook in hand. He didn’t know it, but she was already smiling at seeing him again.

“Looks like you'll be ahead this term, Page.” He said as he put the book back on the shelf where she was standing. “That was the plan. But why are you backing down?” Karen said confidently. Karen and Matt had been in Western Civilization spring term. They had battled between being numbers one and two in the class standings, usually by a margin of a couple of points on tests. If a question was asked, the class looked to both of them, whose hands were always in the air. This was one of their last pre-requisites in their undergrad and they happened to be scheduled during the same time yet again, but they didn’t know that yet. He shrugged his shoulders. “They ordered the wrong book for me.” Karen’s face went from cocky to sad. She couldn’t get over how he seemed almost nonchalant for someone whose life had obviously been impeded yet again when his other classmates never had any issues.

It didn’t matter how early he figured out his classes or ordered his books, something always fell through the cracks. He felt bad for Andrea, who tried her hardest to stay ahead of the problem, but she had a lot on her plate already. Karen dropped her book back on the shelf and surprised him. “Well that is unacceptable,” she said angrily. She typed the ISBN into her phone and searched for the book on her favorite textbook site. Matt stood with a confused look on her face as she murmured. “Greek Mythology by... hmmm.. Why is this book twenty years old?”

“That class is taught by Dr. Tate—” Matt said. Dr Tate was one of the few professors who tried to save her students money by ordering older editions of their books despite angry conversations with the head of her department. Several of Matt’s other professors went as far as making their students' order books they’d written themselves. Matt appreciated Dr. Tate’s efforts, but he always had to pay more than anyone anyway, so it didn’t really matter.

“Oh,” Karen said in understanding. She’d always appreciated the discount, but like most people, she didn’t see how that affected students with disabilities. “Well, I’m not finding a Braille edition or an audiobook for this. This really sucks, Matt.”

“It’s fine,” he shrugged. “The information is probably online.” He’d done that before as a stopgap until he received yet another late book but he ended up doing twice the amount of work and studying way more information than was covered. “Or I choose another course and take mythology next term,” Matt lied. He knew the likelihood of getting materials for another class was just as slim. Karen hunched her shoulders as she placed her phone back into her pocket. She seemed to be sad by that idea, but he didn’t know why. Maybe she was just more empathetic than most. “Well don’t do _that…_ ” Karen opened the book and started flipping through pages to find the end of the first chapter. She nodded. “I have an idea.”

Matt was intrigued. “An idea about what?”

She pulled her phone back out of her pocket and went through her contacts. “Is your email ‘M.Murdock@columbia.edu?’”

“Yeah,” he said as he waited for some kind of explanation.

She typed something into her phone and put it back into her pocket. “Don’t give up yet, Murdock. I’ll figure something out.”

He stood with his mouth open, intending to say something but failing miserably. She patted him on the shoulder and turned on her heel, books in hand and paid for her materials at the counter.


	2. Fate and Emails

Call it fate, or call it luck, somehow Matt Murdock and Karen Page’s paths had crossed frequently their freshman year.

Over the course of two semesters, they had three courses together. Unfortunately for them, they were always vast lecture halls, and they didn’t speak much.

Karen and Matt both got perfect scores on their first history test, which was also taught by Dr. Tate. Neither one of them wanted the attention, but Dr. Tate had each of them raise their hands and make themselves known to their fellow students, most of whom bombed the essay portion and were hoping to be graded on a curve. Then she asked if they were comfortable showing their essays to their classmates so they could see how to write a detailed response. 

That was how the rivalry started. 

Neither student really cared about the scores at first. Then people started looking to them, and effectively pitting them against each other. Students at Columbia were smart, but the better Karen and Matt did, the quieter their fellow classmates got. They picked teams and rooted for their genius through light applause at insightful answers to bets over who would beat the other in tests. Most professors kept scores silent, but Professor Tate had her top 20 students pinned to the bulletin board in the back of the lecture hall. 

Karen and Matt thought it was embarrassing at first, but found it funny with time. They started to go with it; making comments to each other when they ran into each other in their shared dining hall or in random places on campus. Their conversations were usually class-related or superficial. They shared a table at lunch with some friends once or twice but they never sat close enough to start a conversation. In time they both regretted that fact.

But somehow things clicked even more into place their second year of college. 

They were in the same dorm building, just a floor apart. They were each in the same English class, but on different days. And then there was Greek Mythology. 

The day after they met in the bookstore, Matt received an email entitled “don’t drop Mythology unless you can’t stand this - and I fully expect mockery but I suggest you be the bigger person.”

Matt laughed at the title, thinking he’d jumped straight to the body of the email. Nope. It was the subject line. 

The email itself gave him more information.

> _Murdock,_
> 
> _You’re probably going to tell me I’m an overbearing overachiever, and maybe that’s the case, but, don’t say I didn’t try._
> 
> _I read the first chapter of our textbook for you. I didn’t use a fancy recording device, but, I think my phone did the trick. I had to turn it off because it was overheating a little after what I did, and it’s probably for the best because I was getting pretty tired and I’m pretty sure there is more rambling from yours truly than quality content._
> 
> _If this is annoying, just shut it off. I’m going to record a few more chapters just in case you need them, but it’s basically a more involved version of studying, so it’s not a big deal. I just hope you can stay in the class if that’s what you want to do.”_
> 
> _Karen_

Then there was a file titled “Audiobook voice artist will not be my future profession.mp3”

Matt clicked on it instantly. 


	3. Foggy Nelson

Foggy Nelson loved his roommate. 

He was the ideal person to live with. He kept his area clean, didn’t keep him up late with the light on when he needed to study, and he was generally fun to be around. 

Plus he was a giant dork, which Foggy, a fellow dork, appreciated greatly. 

They enjoyed the summer day in their dorm room with the window open, but Foggy was itching to go outside and be amongst the living, whose happy voices were clear enough to understand from their sixth floor. It was almost like being there. Almost. 

He looked at Matt, who had his headphones plugged into his laptop and was listening to an email he had received just ten minutes before. Whatever it was, it was interesting enough to paint a smile on his face bigger than Foggy had seen before. He had heard his roommate stifle a few laughs, but he was suddenly unable to control himself. 

“No wonder these women were happy to live on an island alone. When they stick around they just get bullshit men stalking them or worse. The sirens had the right idea, though, if you know what I mean.” She yawned on the recording, and barely got the next line out: “I’m not going to change my mind about this, Matt. I _really_ hope Zeus dies in the end.”

“What in the hell are you laughing about?” Foggy asked, intrigued.

Matt paused the audio file. His cheeks hurt. 

“Um… Greek Mythology?”

“You’re laughing. At mythology?” He was confused and interested at the same time. 

“Yeah… the bookstore screwed up my order again and a classmate recorded herself reading our book for me.” 

Matt looked down in embarrassment. The fact that someone went out of their way to do that for him was… He didn’t know how he was ever going to thank her enough.

“Seriously!?!” 

He could tell that Foggy was upset about the situation. Then the newsworthy item hit him a second later. 

“Wait, _seriously???”_

“Yeah… I can’t believe it either,” Matt said honestly. 

“How much time did that take? It can’t have been the entire book, right?”

“I’m not sure. The file is… He hovered over the information. “Three _hours_ long… Wow.”

“That is the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard. You should date that girl, Matt. She sounds amazing.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Foggy. I think she was just being nice.”

“So what?” He said in astonishment. 

“I’m pretty sure this doesn’t mean anything, Foggy. I don’t really… it feels awkward.”

“Well whatever her intentions, I’d like to meet her,” he said happily. 

Matt’s eyebrows went up. “Sure. I’ll introduce her to you.”

Foggy laughed. “I’m not trying to _date_ her, Murdock. She just sounds like a person I’d like to know. But clearly I don’t speak for both of us.” He was already ecstatic. 

Matt knew his roommate well, and that little piece of information was going to bite him in the ass. 

“Like I said, I doubt it means anything.”

“Uh-huh,” Foggy said sarcastically. “What’s her voice sound like?”

“It’s beautiful,” Matt said without thinking.

Foggy jumped up and met his friend on his side of the bed. He tapped his shoulder, and Matt moved over on his bed, handing him an earbud and smiling. 

“Let’s hear it.”


	4. Karen Page's Life Is Not a Rom-Com

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrote this before Trish Walker became the WORST.

“How are you already tired, Karen?”

Trish Walker stared at her roommate in awe. Somehow she’d already cracked a book and classes didn’t start for two days.

“I was reading last night.”

“Is that why you were out so late?”

“I rented a study room in the library.”

“Why would you need to do that to _read_?”

She felt a buzz and pulled her phone out, smiling as she saw who it was from.

“Who the hell makes you smile like that, Page?” Trish said excitedly.

“Um, no one. I mean….” She didn’t expect him to respond so quickly since she’d sent the email twenty minutes before. She ignored her friend to see his response.

> _Karen,_
> 
> _I just got your email, and I’m sorry I took a bit to respond. I was too busy listening to the first part of your recording… I can’t believe you did that for me. It is honestly one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done, and I can’t begin to thank you._
> 
> _I want to make sure you know… you really don’t have to do more. I can research for myself, and I don’t want you to spend such a great deal of your valuable time doing something like this. The term hasn’t even started yet and I really think that you’d rather have a break before we jump right into working again. But I wanted you to know, what you did was not annoying in the least. I’ve already laughed several times at your adorable commentary. I know the title of the file said the opposite, but, you really should consider doing audiobooks in the future. I know people like me would appreciate hearing your voice, and how you really feel about basically anything._
> 
> _Matt_

“Ok, your face is bright red.”

“Oh my god, I can’t believe he… Shit I’m going to be reading again tonight.”

Trish pushed her phone down. “Out with it! Now!” She needed to know what could possibly make her friend so happy. They’d been around each other for a day and a half and she could already notice a difference from the year before. She’d drift in and out of conversations and she didn’t have her usual positive attitude. She almost seemed to dread the term they were about to start.

“It’s not a big deal, Trish. I just rented a study room at the library so that I could read this mythology book… well, _record myself reading it_ , so that I could send it to another classmate.”

Trish was confused. “Why?”

“Do you know Matt Murdock?”

“Matt… I think he was in my dorm last year. He’s friends with Foggy and Marci, right?”

“I’m not sure who he’s friends with

Well, I don’t know a Foggy, but I definitely know Marci.”

“He’s blind, right?”

“Right. And the bookstore wasn’t able to get his book and we’re taking the same class, so…”

“You are such a sweetheart.”

“Don’t make a thing about it. He’s a nice person and he got screwed.” She sighed. “Do you remember the guy I told you about last year? The one who kept beating my scores during Western Civ? That was him.”

“Oh. _Smart Guy_. I remember him.”

“We didn’t really talk much last year, but he knows who I am. We always bumped into each other, but with other people.”

 _“_ And now you’re in the same class _again?_ ”

“We’re probably on different days or something. I’m just doing this so that he doesn’t get behind.”

“You sound like you have a crush on this guy,” she said happily.

“No, he just wrote me a really sweet email.” Trish reached out and Karen gave her the phone.

“Awww. He called your commentary adorable!”

“Yeah,” she blushed.

“This thing is littered with compliments, Kare,”

“I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“Or this is the cutest start to a relationship I’ve ever seen!”

“Since when are you the romcom, made-for-each-other type, Patricia Walker?” Karen laughed. She dusted her shorts off and bent over to grab her things.

“When it’s happening right in front of my eyes.” She grabbed Karen’s arm and looked at her with a fierce determination. “Go to him!”

Karen dropped her bag and burst into laughter.

“You go to that airport. Buy a ticket to anywhere and _find him at the gate_ , Karen!” She shoved the bag into her friend’s arms.

“I will!” Karen shouted. She looked around her and noticed that most people weren’t paying attention, but not all.

“You deserve love, Karen Page!”

Karen tried to make her way as far from her increasingly loud friend as possible.

_“I believe in you!”_


	5. Correspondence Between Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Karen and Matt email each other.

Matt groaned as he pulled his headphones out of his ears. He had fallen asleep to her recording but he still woke up with a smile on his face. He found the spot he remembered last and paused it before noticing he had an email alert. 

It was from her. He opened it quickly and listened. 

> _Matt,_
> 
> _It’s sweet of you to think my time is valuable. I’ve spent the last two days wishing the term would just start because all people want to do is talk about summer, and frankly, mine sucked and I’d rather not think about it. Who knew I’d be this desperate to get back to studying? It’s pretty lame, actually._
> 
> _I know it sounds boring as hell, but I don't mind doing this at all. I’m hoping I’ll have a leg up on everyone else, and the subject matter is pretty interesting. Tate hasn’t assigned much reading yet, but I want to get ahead of it so that, well, I’m ahead, but also because I have time to do this now. Please, please don’t feel obligated to even listen to this if you don’t have to (I have no idea how the book situation panned out.) Let me know if things change. I hear that falling asleep to audiobooks might help you retain it (who knows if that’s a myth?), so I might just listen to these recordings anyway._
> 
> _Karen_

_I’m just noticing how ramble-y this sounds and I’m too tired to care about fixing it._

_Are you in Tate’s M-W-F class? At 9 am?_

_Karen_

Attached document was “Part 2.mp3” he clicked on it and found that it was shorter this time, but it was still two hours long. 

Matt grabbed his laptop and responded immediately. 

> _Karen,_
> 
> _I’m sorry your summer sucked, but since you don’t seem to want to talk about it, I won’t pry. I just took more courses, so believe me, you are not the lame one in this situation. I did go to Foggy’s for a week after everything was over. It was crazy to see a family so different from mine. They visit pretty often, so I know them pretty well, but being around them constantly for 7 full days was an experience. I’ll tell you about it sometime._
> 
> _I am very grateful for all the work you’ve done. I listened to the entire recording already, and I have to say, it’s the most enjoyment I’ve gotten from hearing a textbook. I will preface this by saying that your work will not be in vain, but Andrea (our bookstore manager) thinks she got her hands on a braille copy of the book and she’s having it shipped as soon as possible (which is looking like the middle of our second week). Your work should cover all of our reading assignments this week, and I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I’m going to find a way to thank you for being so wonderful._
> 
> _I am in Tate’s Mon/Wed/Fri class at 9 am. Does that mean that you are too?_
> 
> Matt

He closed his laptop and climbed back into bed, pressing play on the last fifteen minutes of the first file.

“Disney lied to us, man. Zeus is the freaking devil.”

Hearing her voice was a perfect way start the morning.


	6. Happy Coincidences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The friends learn about Matt and Karen's correspondence and are excited about the possibilities.

Matt closed his eyes as the sun beat down on him. He and Foggy rested under a tree with a little bit of shade, but the breeze kept moving the leaves and he could feel constant alternating warmth. His dorm was supposed to have air conditioning, but he knew that was a myth. He knew exactly what that was supposed to sound like, and his last dorm room had the same issue. He thought about tenant rights for college students and figured it wouldn’t hurt to look into it. Then he heard his name. 

It came from right outside his dorm room - a couple hundred feet from where he lay. 

“Wait, _Matt Murdock_? As in Foggy’s roommate?”

Karen was walking with two people, one of who was his roommate’s longtime crush, Marci Stahl. He learned the other woman’s name soon. 

“Yes, Marci!” She said excitedly. “I knew you knew him!”

Karen’s heart raced. She spoke through gritted teeth. “ _We said we weren’t going to talk about this, Trish_. _Remember_?”

Marci was confused about all the secrecy. “We all know he's adorable. What’s the problem, Page? You two hookup or something?”

Matt’s eyebrows went up. Marci went right to asking the real questions. 

“No! My god you two are _incessant_!” He heard a happier note in her voice, and he tried to put a finger on why. It helped him to ignore the fact that he shouldn’t even be listening to them in the first place. 

“Thank you,” Marci said happily. Trish laughed.

“It wasn’t a compliment.” Karen said through a smile. 

“I know sweetheart, but I’m going to be a lawyer. Being called, ‘incessant’ is practically a compliment and I've heard it a million times, thank you very much!”

“I’m so happy for you,” Karen laughed. She tried to divert attention from herself but there was a silence that told him she was getting looks from her friends. “ _Fine!”_ She said in annoyance. “What Trish was _trying_ to say was, I ran into Matt, _that’s all._ ” She tried to get her roommate to keep her mouth shut. 

“What’s the big deal?” Marci asked.

They had made it into the park. Matt wondered if she’d see him. 

“The big deal is, I don’t need people knowing what I did. I’m sure he wouldn’t like it if I spread it around. I shouldn’t have even told you, Trish.”

“What in the hell is going on?” Marci asked. “My mind is running all over the place.”

“You’re making a much bigger deal of this than you should be, Kare. He won't be upset. You did something nice.”

Karen sighed. “I’m trying to afford him the same privacy that I would want if it were me.”

Matt smiled. He wasn’t wrong when he called her a sweetheart. 

“It’s fine,” Marci brushed them off. “I’ll just ask Foggy. He’ll tell me anything.”

Trish raised her hands to say, “see?” Karen waved her off. 

“She read like 30 pages of their history textbook because his copy didn’t arrive in time.”

She didn’t bother to tell him that it was double that number.

“Read it? Like, _to_ him? You’re right that is awkward.” Marci said. 

“Marci!” Karen scolded. Marci nodded in understanding at the ableist line she was walking. 

“I’m sorry,” she said quickly. Karen smiled and moved on.

“It wasn’t history, it was mythology, and I didn’t read it _to_ him. My god, you guys.”

“She recorded it and emailed it to him. I bet he would have appreciate a hand delivery next time, Karen! I wonder what dorm he’s in this term.” Trish joked before digging a bigger hole. “Look at that face adn tell me she’s not scared shitless, Marci!”

“I think I left something back at our dorm.” Karen said through gritted teeth. “I'm going to go get it. See you tomorrow. Or maybe next week.”

Marci ignored it. “Really? You should go back and while you’re there, you can say hi to your new friend! Guess where he lives?” 

“He lives in our dorm?” Trish asked excitedly.

Karen’s heart fluttered, but she didn’t say anything. 

“Sixth floor I think. Maybe seventh?”

“Already visiting Foggy, huh?” Trish asked. 

“He called. I answered.” Marci said with a smile. 

“Oh I forgot to mention, Matt wanted to _thank_ her,” Trish said happily. 

“That didn’t mean what she’s implying. And I’m never telling you anything. ever. again.”

“I’m sorry, Karen, really. I’m just joking. I’m really rooting for you two!”

“There’s nothing to root for. He’s a nice guy. I have barely spoken to him–”

“Except for the emails–”

“Oooh, Emails?!?” Marci couldn’t contain her excitement. 

“Fine. Except for the emails. We’re in a huge lecture hall and we probably won’t even run into each other.”

Matt made a promise to himself that he wasn’t going to let that happen. 

“I need food.” Foggy said right next to him.

Matt tried to listen, but Foggy had the ability to be incessant himself. He and Marci were perfect for each other. 

“I'm thinking pasta. Or burgers. _Oooh pizza!_ ”

Matt got up quicker than expected. “Sure Fog. I guess I could eat.” He helped his roommate up, and smiled at just how easily it was for him to spot the trio of ladies. 

“Oh dang, I see Marci.” He reached up and waved.

“Look at that, Karen. I guess it's your lucky day.” Marci said with a smile. 

Karen spoke quickly. “I swear you two, you better not mention this to– Hi, Matt... it's Karen.”

He smiled from ear to ear. “I could recognize that voice from anywhere, now.”

Trish stifled a giggle. Karen hoped her friends didn’t notice her turn bright red. 

“We were just going to eat. You guys should join us,” Marci said to the new arrivals. 

Foggy nodded. “That's crazy! Matt _just_ told me he's starving.”

**Author's Note:**

> When writing a rom-com (rom-dramedy?) I always ask myself a few questions:  
> 1\. Would irelandhoneybee like this?  
> 2\. Will it make her giggle?  
> 3\. How cheesy are you willing to get for Irelandhoneybee?  
> 4\. How many tropes can you fit into one story to satisfy your rom-com loving nerd?  
> Pleasing Irelandhoneybee means rom-com success!


End file.
